"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
- Thomas JeffersonWhile we have different views regarding global issues and their successful resolutions, I think we can all agree that there are problems in the world that must be addressed. Merkaba reminds you that each individual has the power to make changes in the world, beginning in your own small sphere of influence. If every person reaches out, the overall effect will be dramatic.
A common issue with activism is that the problems at hand seem insurmountable; poverty, war, racial discrimination...and we simply don't know where to start. Not everyone is a Martin Luther King, Jr., or a Nelson Mandela. People are overwhelmed and choose the path of dissatisfied apathy, ultimately accepting the status quo. Please remember that you can be an activist without protest marches and chaining yourself to a bulldozer! You can simply make choices in your daily life. To help illustrate this point, we have identified three main ways that you can cast your vote for change:
Vote with your vote - Participate in elections. Find out about the candidates and make informed decisions based on your beliefs. Vote with your wallet - Perhaps the most effective form of voting, since you do it every day. Where you spend your money shapes the world like nothing else. Vote with your voice - Encourage people to act. Attend meetings. Help proliferate information about key issues, and win people over with your ideas. Merkaba will not tell you what to think or what to believe. We will tell you about some of the issues that we think are important and what we hope can be done about them. Hopefully these will give you some ideas:
These invasions were irresponsible from the start and, most tragically, resulted in countless civilian and military deaths. The wars helped increase the federal deficit to previously unimaginable figures. Neither Osama bin Laden nor any of the purported "weapons of mass destruction" have been located despite years of searching. As a result, the United States has lost considerable face amongst nations. This damage can never be undone. To avoid further loss of life, it is time to call it quits. At that time, millions of dollars could be applied to other problems.
The fact that there is even a debate surrounding this issue is disturbing. ALL forms of physical torture - including waterboarding - are abominable as well as illegal under international law. Any effort by the U.S. government to exploit the exact phrasing of the laws ("detainees?") to justify ignoring prisoners' basic human rights is equally abominable and should bring shame to every American.
Of all the things we ask of our government, one would think that the health and well-being of its citizens would be a priority. The majority of western European nations (Germany, Sweden, etc.) and Canada have established, functioning social health care systems regulated by the government. Meanwhile, the existing American system makes it lucrative for insurance companies to deny people coverage as often as possible, and for doctors to prescribe as many medications as possible. Profit motived health care - life and death issues - is hugely unethical. How much is your life worth?
In 1913, The Federal Reserve Act was passed through Congress and signed by President Woodrow Wilson largely in response to the Panic of 1907. It was thought, at that time as in all times, that a Centralized Bank (much to the order of the "Bank of England") would be able to stabilize the currency against the ravages of inflation/deflation by controlling the interest rates by which banks lend money to individuals and businesses. Sixteen years after the inception of this "private within the government" institution, the stock market crashed and was one of the principle causes of "The Great Depression." In principle, this Bank sounds like a good idea. In practice, it is a flawed organization that operates outside of the bounds of Congressional oversight and ultimately controls the value of YOUR money without having to answer to YOUR government. The Bank's policies and practices are determined by a Board of Governors that makes transactions in the billions of dollars with Foreign Governments and Centralized Banks. This panel operates behind closed doors with little to no Congressional oversight dictating policy that affects every individual's pocket book.
"If Congress has the right under the Constitution to issue paper money, it was given to them to be used by themselves, not to be delegated to individuals or corporations."
- President Andrew Jackson"Permit me to issue and control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws."
- Mayer Anselm Rothschild (of the Rothschild Banking Family)A significant number of prisoners throughout the country are incarcerated for non-violent and mostly drug-related offenses. Focusing on the rehabilitation of drug addicts and reducing or eliminating mandatory prison sentences for non-violent crimes will not only moderate the expense of jailing so many people but will add able bodies to the nation's workforce. In addition, law enforcement resources that are used in pursuit of non-narcotics (such as marijuana) could be reassigned to fight organized crime.
Whether you believe that someone can commit a crime so heinous that the death penalty is needed is irrelevant. The issue is that the justice system in this country is a flawed organization, composed of humans capable of making mistakes. Such a system should not be granted such absolute power over someone's very life. False convictions have occurred in the past, and despite improved investigative techniques will invariably happen in the future. No margin of error is acceptable when a person's life is at stake.
It is probably safe to assume that if you can view this webpage, you can feed yourself. Hunger and homelessness are major issues around the world, including America. Food and shelter are basic needs that every person should have, and a small sacrifice in your own life could make a big difference in someone else's.
The number of privately-owned businesses in this country is shrinking rapidly, devoured by corporate giants such as Wal-Mart, et al. By supporting large corporations, you are discouraging entrepreneurship and making it harder for unique products to reach the marketplace. Some American cities (like Austin, Texas, or Los Angeles, Calif.) have diverse local economies and can be used as models for the rest of the nation. It is also worth mentioning that the current health-care system is stacked against independent business owners since, for most people, the only way to get health coverage is to work for a corporation.
It is pretty obvious to everyone by now that the vast majority of the earth's natural habitats have already been destroyed. Even the oceans, unpopulated by man, have had wildlife reduced by 90% as a result of fishing and pollution. Meanwhile, fossil fuel reserves are being steadily depleted and will invariably run out at some point. Unless we want our grandchildren to live on a desert planet, we must change. Carbon emissions must be reduced drastically and renewable energy sources must be tapped. Existing natural wildlife habitats MUST be preserved and efforts should be made to restore damaged habitats.